APS Bachelor of Science in Business Course Description and Sequence

Core Classes (34 credit hours)

BUA251 Applications in Business Communications (4)An integration of the essential tools for business: business writing, group communication and business-related software applications, utilizing the modern-day topic of eCommerce. Focus on developing professional writing skills, learning to work effectively in a group setting, and training in the use of Microsoft Office tools. Prerequisites: COM150 & ENG110/151 equivalents

BUA211 Principles of Management (3)The topic of management is introduced from a business leadership perspective. Students will be exposed to methods of motivation, group management and how to work in virtual teams. The topics of innovation and entrepreneurship are also explored to understand how each person can have impact on the world. Learning about how to implement successful change and the ideas of corporate social responsibility conclude the study of management.

ECA273 Macroeconomics (3)This course is a study of the big-picture national outcomes such as economic growth, inflation, unemployment and the national debt. Major public programs such as social security, Medicare and taxes will be evaluated, including their future viability. The roles of Congress and the Federal Reserve in shaping the economy will be analyzed from both Keynesian and Classical perspectives.

ECA272 Microeconomics (3)This course will explore questions such as “How do people make decisions?”, “Do businesses maximize profits?”, “Do markets work?”, and “What role should the government have in the economy?”. The workhorse model of microeconomics, supply and demand, will be used to analyze consumer decisions, minimum wage laws, price controls, taxes and numerous other economic scenarios.

ACA201 Financial Accounting (3)An introduction to the basic structure and language of accounting used in business. The three major types of business entities are considered with emphasis on preparing and understanding financial documents for sole proprietorships and corporations. Internal controls and ethical challenges in relation to financial management and reporting will also be explored.

ACA202 Managerial Accounting (3)This course utilizes the language and preparatory skills learned in Financial Accounting to analyze the information for decision making as investors, managers, employees and creditors. The concept of “cost” will be explored extensively in understanding how it is accounted for in manufacturing environments as well as the role that it plays in pricing and analysis. Prerequisite: ACA201

BUA241 Principles of Marketing (3)The study of marketing consists of understanding the customer and how to determine their needs. This is accomplished through marketing research and examining consumer behavior and the purchasing decision. Product development, branding and services marketing will also be explored. Attention will be given to channel development, promotion and advertising and pricing strategies. These topics will be studied from the perspective of business customers, individual customers and not for profit organizations.

ECA325 Statistics for Business (3)The fundamental tools needed for quantitative business analysis will be developed. Topics will include statistically characterizing data, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, and regression analysis. The emphasis will be on the practical implementation of statistics in business and economics. Spreadsheet analysis will be used extensively throughout the course. Prerequisites: MAT 131 & 132 equivalents

BUA412 Organizational Behavior (3)This course provides an overview of topics in the field of organizational behavior. Topics covered include leadership, motivation, teamwork, decision processes, conflict, organizational change, and learning. The course will focus on how to improve productivity, job satisfaction, and commitment. Elements of regulatory and legal environment on businesses will also be integrated in the course. Prerequisites: MGT320 or BMA211

BUA413 Strategic Management and Ethics (3)This capstone course is case based and application driven utilizing the skills and knowledge learned in previous courses to develop and analyze strategic management solutions for businesses and organizations. Ethical scenarios will be incorporated into this course as well. Prerequisites: MGT320 or BMA211, and BMA451

Emphasis Course Tracks (15 credit hours each)Entrepreneurship

BUA312 Small Business Management (3)This course examines the development and management of the business venture. Topics include: the innovation idea, the development of business and financial plans, feasibility studies, alternative modes of financing, and the launching of the venture.

BUA410 Management of Innovation (3)An introduction to tools and concepts that will help understand the role of emerging technologies, as well as identify opportunities and possibilities for competitive advantage through innovation. Specific topics covered include sources and models of innovation, innovation strategy, and new product development.

BUA415 Entrepreneurship: Opportunity Recognition/Market Research (3)This course provides an overview of the opportunity recognition/evaluation process by examining how to identify and create entrepreneurial opportunities. Students will learn and apply various marketing research techniques that will enable them to make sound decisions about new products or services in either an existing firm or new venture.

BUA425 Social Entrepreneurship (3)Entrepreneurship in itself is bringing forth something new and assuming the risk of implementing it. Social entrepreneurship intertwines the innovative spirit with the societal impact to empower others in the quest for sustainable change. This course explores the concepts, theories and practice of social entrepreneurship domestically and internationally.

Nonprofit Management

BUA430 Non-Profit Leadership and Management (3)This course is a survey of the operational and management practices of non-governmental, nonprofit organizations. There are key features that differentiate nonprofit organizations within organizational design, governance structures, board and community relations, fiscal structures and the regulatory environment. These topics will be covered as they specifically relate to the non-governmental, nonprofit organizations.

BUA440 Non-Profit Fundraising, Grant Writing and Philanthropy (3)Revenue generation is critical for the going concern of any non-governmental nonprofit organization. This is accomplished through fundraising, grants, contracts and philanthropic efforts that will be examined during this course. Evaluation of current fundraising strategies and hands-on experience with grant writing are highlights of the course content.

BUA445 Fiscal and Performance Management of a Non-profit (3)This course will introduce the requirements of adequate financial systems for non-profit organizations. This includes the form and content of reports as well as performance management techniques and analysis. It will also focus on understanding how to develop budgets, manage daily fiscal activities, establish internal controls and meet regulatory requirements.

BUA450 Community Development (3)This course surveys key principles and issues in community development both domestically and internationally including methods of community assessment, strategies for identifying, evaluating and implementing community-level initiatives, and working with the strengths of the community as a whole.

BUA425 Social Entrepreneurship (3)Entrepreneurship in itself is bringing forth something new and assuming the risk of implementing it. Social entrepreneurship intertwines the innovative spirit with the societal impact to empower others in the quest for sustainable change. This course introduces students to the concepts, theories and practice of social entrepreneurship domestically and internationally.

Information Technology

BUA455 Systems Approach (3)This course contains a traditional systems analysis and design course with a focus on problem identification, scope and decomposition. Students will learn how to model systems with an emphasis on business processes and process re-engineering (Hammer and Champy’s approach).

BUA410 Management of Innovation (3)An introduction to tools and concepts that will help understand the role of emerging technologies, as well as identify opportunities and possibilities for competitive advantage through innovation. Specific topics covered include sources and models of innovation, innovation strategy, and new product development.

BUA460 Management of Data (3)This course emphasizes what happens once you have extracted the data from a database. Gain hands on experience manipulating data and understanding the way data is structured, rather than creating the data sources. A focus will be placed on using data within ERP systems.

BUA465 Business Intelligence/Support (3)In popular press Business Intelligence is referred to as Big Data. Focus is not on building the data warehouse, but rather how to query data cubes and exploring the questions a business can answer with data. Hands on experience will be given with analytical tools such as SAS Data Miner.

BUA470 Security and Privacy (3)With so much mobile technology in use today, the security of an organization’s private data becomes that much more important. This course approaches the topics of security and privacy from a policy perspective of the organization.

BUA475 Supply Chain Management (3)This course will consider the supply function, including organization procedures, supplier selection, quality, inventory management and price determination. Quantitative tools for planning and control functions such as forecasting, inventory planning, resource planning and scheduling are also incorporated into the course. Prerequisite: BMA457

BUA460 Management of Data (3)This course emphasizes what happens once you have extracted the data from a database. Gain hands on experience manipulating data and understanding the way data is structured, rather than spending time creating the data sources. A focus will be placed on using data within ERP systems.

BUA480 Logistics (3)The supply chain activities emphasizing the integration of transportation, inventory, warehousing, facility location, customer service, packaging and materials handling will be studied more in depth from a domestic and international perspective. Prerequisite: BMA457

BUA485 Supply Chain Strategy (3)This capstone course provides an opportunity to synthesize the knowledge gained in the previous coursework to integrate operations, supply management, production, logistics and enterprise solutions to develop supply chain strategies. The topics of research and negotiation will also be incorporated in this course through discussions of current philosophy, methods and techniques for conducting strategic and tactical supply chain research and negotiations. Prerequisites: BMA467, BUA475, AND BUA480

Additional Course Options

BUA391 Independent Study (1-3)Independent study projects with required written reports approved and directed by a member of the Business Management faculty. Contract.

BUA393 Seminar (1-3)Designated special-interest classes, seminars, or field experiences supervised by faculty, with the appropriate course requirements. Credit may be given more than once.

BUA435 Internship (1-3)Students are placed with cooperating firms for on the job training in business and accounting. Written reports are to be submitted by the firm and by the student to the professor. This is an option for the student and will be tailored to fit the student's needs as far as possible. Consent of the instructor must be secured. Contract.

Course Sequence

BUA251

BUA211

ECA273

ECA272

ACA201

ACA202

BUA241

ECA325

BUA412

BUA451

Emphasis Course 1

Emphasis Course 2

Emphasis Course 3

Emphasis Course 4

Emphasis Course 5

BUA413

Emphasis courses are intentionally sequenced as they are above and should be completed in order to manage class sizes and ensure prerequisites are met.